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A Guru may or
may not have gone anywhere in his or her own personal meditation
practice. He or she may be well read, or well-taught
instead. If you follow a guru of any sort you are throwing away time
and effort you could use to really find out about
yourself. Some monks here in Thailand study under a
favorite teacher for 20, 30, 50 years. You know, most
gurus are probably less likely to be experiencing any more of the
truth about themselves than a beginner could in a year
of self-directed practice.
Ignoring completely all the knowledge (fluff) put forth by rule-filled
meditation systems is essential if you hope to get
anywhere at all.
If
the Guru you believe in - or the process, the system of
meditation that you believe in, has produced people you
KNOW that have been awakened as to the natural state of
themselves - as to the truth about themselves and who
they are... as to the truth about the mind and how it
really works then you might want to try that first. It
may work for you, it may not. I'm guessing that there is
no system available anywhere on the face of the globe -
that can help most people awaken to their true nature.
But, if you pull only the smallest essence that is in
common with most systems of meditation and ignore ALL
the extra fluff that goes with it, you CAN know the
truth about the mind, and about yourself. You CAN
experience awesome meditative states over and over if
you wish - or, let them go and advance further in your
practice. Up to you.
When I began meditating I pulled only the bare essence
from a few sources of meditation. Basically, just what
you see here on this site is what I did. It's such a
wonderfully simple process that I feel the need to share
it with everyone I can.
No, I'm not fully awakened. Not that I know of. Would I
know it if I were? What part of me would know it? I have
another site
with MP3's and videos about some of my experiences
while meditating... it's like an online journal. What I
did worked for me - will it work for you? I think so,
though really not sure. You'd have to try it for
yourself. No need for you to get caught
up in my experience and make me your Guru - yet some
people still try. If you go and listen to the audio and
view the video don't think that you have to experience
what I did, what I am experiencing - just follow the
steps and see what happens. Stop reading books and
consulting meditation teachers for all your issues.
There is no secret - the steps are very simple...
You don't need a guru or teacher at all.
I'm guessing you think you need a starting point - or
you wouldn't be at this site.
Meditation begins as a
purely physical practice. There's no need for anything
else. Bringing religion, rules, customs or gurus into it
destroys the process that is wholly natural and inside
each one of us. It's a pure state of mind that can exist
for anyone.
The Bare Essential Steps
to ... awakening or whatever you want to call it:
-
Focus your mind on your breath.
-
Re-focus your mind on your breath as
thoughts come up.
-
Repeat steps 1-2 many times.
-
Mind stops (thoughts, emotions,
reactions). Memory is available. All the senses are
available at least while not in deep meditative
states. It's as if experiencing life for the
first time, without naming things going on around
you - just pure experience.
-
Be mindful during the day of things
you're doing - catch yourself "in the present
moment."
With these simple steps you'll begin to know yourself
outside of meditation - going about your normal
activities of daily living. You'll become a less
ego-centric person. You'll see the truth about our
interactions socially. You'll become a more caring and
helpful person naturally because of the process the mind
naturally moves toward as it is still for periods of
time.
You'll know yourself and enable yourself to be the
person you want to be - not be guided by societal
influences. You'll be immune to them. You'll understand
what life is, and what life can be. You'll be free from
pain that exists on a daily basis due to attachments,
wants and needs that are fostered - encouraged by the
society you live in.
All of this results just from the physical act of
watching your breath and then, after the mind becomes
still, amazing states of mind occur.
There is no need to try to become a better person
morally, spiritually before meditation. Purifying one's
self of wrong thoughts, speech or actions directly - is
a losing game - almost every time.
You naturally become as pure as air when you follow the
simple physical steps above. Religion, gurus, teachers,
rules, laws, customs, traditions - all of it prevents
you from reaching this pure state - none of them help.
Look at the millions of Buddhists all over the world.
Look at the millions more than are not Buddhist but that
practice meditation by following a guru, a system, a
religion. How many of them are awakened to
their pure nature?
I
live here in Thailand and I've met hundreds of monks.
I've talked to many meditators online and in person that
cannot name for me even one individual that has done
anything similar to what the original Buddha is said to
have done - awakened to the true nature of his pure
self.
Guru Gone gives you
the physical steps needed. Follow these simple steps and
you will find peace beyond what any religion or Guru
could make you dream of. It's not there. It's here. In
your head. It's unlocked with some very simple steps.
Meditation leading
to the truth is as available to you in your unwholesome,
human, immoral state as it is to monks who have
practiced for 50 years.
Even more so.
KNOW
YOURSELF
through meditation. |
